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Definition of the Confessing Movement
The Confessing Movement is one of several modern expressions of conservative Christianity in North America, composed of clergy and laity that are unhappy with their denominational drift away from traditional, conservative Christianity. It is a rapidly organizing force within the mainline churches. It relates and cross pollinates with other conservative movements such as Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Holiness groups, Anabaptists, and Fundamentalists, but also differs from the others in some aspects, especially in that its members are unwilling to leave their home denominations, unless forced out. Unlike many reform movements in modern times, which have splintered Protestantism into thousands of denominations, these groups are determined to stay and work for reform from within. At the same time many sadly admit that they may be unable to return their beloved churches to their foundational roots.
Within the mainline churches there is a large group of laity and a somewhat smaller group of clergy who feel that their denominations have been hijacked by those who have forsaken Christianity and embraced moral relativism to accomodate secular society. Church leaders such as United Methodist Bishop Joseph Sprague of Chicago and Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong are considered to be apostate, and are rejected as spokespersons for the church. Although many issues are longstanding, the final straw which has provided the impetus that has galvinized church members into the formation of the Confessing Movement is the acceptance or the possible acceptance of homosexuality. Another part of the background of the movement is that mainline churches in the US are rapidly losing members, while conservative churches are growing. Some of the difference represents individuals moving from the more liberal to the more conservative churchs. Some represents a general loss of evangelistic zeal in liberal thought. The confessing movement points to the shrinkage of the church as evidence of a wrong path taken, and seeks to bring the church back to its original confessions of faith.
A few liberal church leaders have taken steps to denounce, repress, or expell the Confessing Movement, but they face a grave difficulty, if they succeed. The churches most apt to join the Confessing Movement are also the most liberal givers, providing a large chunk of each denominational budget.
One of the fastest growing Confessing Movements is within the Presbyterian Church (USA). In February, 2002 more than 800 laity, pastors, deacons, and elders gathered in Atlanta, Georgia for the first National Celebration of Confessing Churches. Participating churches affirm that Christ is the only way of salvation, that the Bible is infallible in its teachings,
and that sexual relations are exclusively for marriage.
More than 1,200 of the denomination's 11,000 congregations have adopted such declarations and become part of a loosely knit Confessing Church Movement.
The Confessing Movement within the United Methodist Church quotes Methodism's founder, John Wesley, who said:
The newly formed American Anglican Council states:
Presbyterian
Methodist
Episcopalian/Anglican
Lutheran
Congregational
United Church of Canada
Outside Links to Groups that call themselves Confessing Movements (or analogs)
